The present invention relates generally to an electrical connector and, more particularly, to an electrical connector for connecting a coaxial cable to a plurality of terminal pins on a printed circuit board.
Sometimes it is desirable to connect a coaxial cable to terminal pins such as wire wrappable posts on a printed circuit board in such a manner as to provide EMI/RFI shielding for a signal pin on the board. This is normally accomplished by soldering the center conductor of the coaxial cable to the signal pin and by soldering the outer conductor or braid of the cable to several ground pins spaced outwardly from the signal pin on the board. Such a connection is time consuming to perform and expensive. It is therefore desirable to provide an electrical connector which will provide a releasable connection between the coaxial cable conductors and the signal and ground pins on the board.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,643,201 and 3,761,844 disclose impedance matching connectors for coaxial cables in which a plurality of electrical contacts mounted on the connector of the cable are arranged to mate with corresponding contacts mounted on or in an insulator of a mating connector assembly. In each instance, the coaxial cable connector requires discrete ground contacts which add to the cost and the time for assembly of the connector.
It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide an improved coaxial cable connector for coupling to a plurality of terminal pins which utilizes a minimum number of parts and consequently is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and assemble.